Bulkachuwa Withdraws From Panel, Cites Personal Reasons 

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, has withdrawn from the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

Bulkachuwa cited “personal reasons” for her withdrawal on Wednesday. “I am recusing myself from the panel for personal reasons” she said. She announced that a new presiding judge will be appointed to the panel while the other members hearing of the preliminary applications pending the appointment of the new head of the panel.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Mr. Atiku Abubakar had earlier filed an application asking Bulkachuwa to recuse herself from the panel based on the likelihood of bias due to the status of her husband, Mr. Adamu Bulkachuwa as a Senator-elect on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

At the ruling of the panel, Justice Olabisi Ige ruled that Bulkachuwa’s relationship with her husband and son, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar who was a governorship aspirant also on the platform of the APC was not enough to infer that she will be biased.